Athletic protector



Sept. 4, 1934. F, RECQRD' 1,972,275

ATHLETIC PROTECTOR Filed March 6, 1951 o s! mRecoraL Patented Sept. 4, 1934 Forrest of one-half to Gordon Travers,

Calif.

M, Record,'Beverly Hills, Cali! assig'nor Los Angeles,

Application ama 1931, Serial No. '520,513 1' Claims (or. 123-158) This invention relates to athletic supporters, and has for an object the provision of a device of this general. character;- which" serves not only as a supporter, but also as a protective shieldwhere Lg by the wearer may be protected froin injury to the parts of his'bodyfcovered by the" shield;

Another object is to provide an athletic supporter and protecting device as described, which is so designed that it serves to protect-not only the external-reproductive organs, but also the surrounding area of the. groin and lower abdominal regions .7 Y A more detailed object isto provide an athletic supporter and protector composed of a rigid body .165 portionformed in the'necessary shape" to provide a protective and supporting cup, this-body per"- tion being covered with a relatively thick padding materiaLsuch as sponge rubber? whereby the wearer-is amply protected against injury by being A- still further object is to provide an athletic supporter and protector as described, which is provided with novel means for securing abelt thereto, this belt being employed to retain the device in operative position.

The invention possesses other obj ects' and advantageous features, some of which, with those enumerated; will be set forth in the following descriptionof the inventions particular embodiment which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying'and forming a part of the specification. Referring to the drawing: Fig; 1" is a view in front elevation of a supporter embodying the-principles of the present'invention.- In this view a portion of the protective covering is broken away to show the internal construction of the device.

Fig.2 is a side elevation, the direction of view being'indicated by the arrow 2 of Fig. 1';

Fig. 3 is an inside elevation of the protective cup and-its associated flange. view may be considered as a vertical sectionalview taken upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, with the-direction of view as indicated. V

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken-upon the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, with the direction of view as indicated. r 1 Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the rigid body portion of the supporter.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken upon the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, with the direction'of view as indicated. Fig. '7 is a fragmentary view of the-backportion of the belt, the direction of view being indicated 55 by the arrow '7- of Fig.2.

The supporter of my. invention is intended to be used by male. athletes as a supporting and protective device whereby the athlete is efficiently protected against injury when pursuing suchsports' as boxing, football, and the like. do The supporter comprises a rigid body portion, indicated in its entiretyat 11, and best shown upon Figs. 5 and 6. body portion. 11 is preferably constructed of. aluminum of suitable thickness, because this material is possessed of sufficient 63 inherent strength, and yet is light enough to avoid hampering the movements of the athlete. However, Ifwishit to be understood that other materiaLi-may be substituted for aluminum, such, for. example, as sheet fiberof suitable thickness.

The body portion 11 is shapedto define aprotective cup 12- at the lower portion thereof, and a flange 13 extendingupwards from the upper edge of the cup 12.v A plurality of apertures are formedin the'body portion 11, the apertures 14 '55- in the cup 12-..being preferably. relatively large as compared with the apertures 16 in the flange 13. The-flange i3 is preferably perfectlyflat when measured in a vertical line, but is arcuate when viewedfrom above or below,-so as to permit it to conform to the general'configuration of the lower abdominal region and groins of the wearer. Moreover, thisflange 13 is of material extent, so that a relatively large area; of the wearersbody is covered thereby. s

' The body portion 11 is provided with a covering 17 of extremely soft, pliant cushioning material, preferably sponge rubber. This cushioning material substantial-1y completely encloses the flange 13-, and-is relatively thick upon the i6 inner face of the flange 13,- as indicated at 18, inasmuch as it is intended that this portion of the covering serve as cushioning means whereby'shock imparted to the supporter will be absorbed so as to protect the wearer'against irriury.

The covering material 1''! extends downwards on the outer face of the cup 12, and covers the entire outer surface thereof, as indicated at 19. Moreover, the coveringmaterial 17 extends around 160 the lateral and lower peripheral edges of the cup 12', and for a short distance intothe interior thereof along its inner face, as indicated at, 21, thus providing cushio g material which is interposed between the entire peripheral edge of 106 the cup l2and the wearers body. Preferably, these portions of the peripheral edge of the cup 12 are formed T shaped, having flanges 22 embedded withinthe cushioning material 1'7 "so as to increase the area of contact of the device 110 with the wearers body. The cushioning material 17 is retained in position upon the body portion 11, because of the fact that the apertures 16 in the flange 13, and the lower apertures 14 in the cup 12, are filled with the covering material; and in the event this covering material is of sponge rubber, it is vulcanized thereon,;so that those portions of the covering material which engage the front and back faces of the body portion 11 are permanently anchored together. By leaving the upper apertures 14 in the cup 12' open, i. e., by extending these apertures through the covering material, as indicated at 23,-ample ventilation is provided for the interior of the cup.

A belt 26 is provided, whereby the supporter may be worn comfortably and yet securely, by

an athlete. This belt comprisesa' front portion 27 in the form of a strip of preferably inelastic webbing embedded and preferably vulcanized within the portion 18 0f the coveringmaterial 17 which extends across the inner: face of the.

flange beyond 13. The ends 28 ofthe strip 27 project the ends of the flange l3,'so as to permit attaching a band 29 to each of the projecting ends, stitching 31 or other suitable attaching means-being employed: for this purpose. Each of the bands preferably is constructed'ofsresilient material such as elastic webbing, and means are provided for releasably attaching the ends of the bands 29 together. For example, eachband is provided with'a preferably leather extension :32

at its after end, and'alined eyes33a-are provided in each of. the two extensions32; whereby lacing 34 n1ay be employed'to'releasably secure the two these leg strips claims.

bands 29 together atthe .wearers back. Leg strips 3e and 37 also are employed, preferably being also of resilient material such as elastic webbing. 1 Each of the leg-strips is secured at one end to thebelt-26at the 'back and at one side thereof and theother ends ofthe two leg strips 36, 37 areboth secured'to the lower edge of the cup 12 by means of preferablyasingle rivet 38, as best shown .upon Fig. 4. Thus, it is '1 readily understood that the twoleg strips 36 and 37 cooperate with "the belt 26 in: holding the supporter in operative position, inasmuch as both leg strips extend downwards from the back'portion of the belt 26 throughthe wearers crotch and to the lower portion of the cup 121 Owing to the thickness of rtheipadding material 17 which is interposed between the rigid plate 11, andalsoowing to the/relatively large area of contact of the paddingmaterial with the wearers body,.relatively hard blows can be taken on the device of my invention, without subjecting the wearer to injurylor evento material discomfort. Furthermore, owing to the details of construction, andthe .materials' employed, the article is capable of being. easily kept ina Sanitary condition, because it may very easily be washed and dried. Furthermore, owing to the extreme lightness of the'entire device'which' re-' sults from the 'fact'that itsmain'body portion 11 is constructed of relatively'light but strong material such as'alu ninun'ior sheet fiber, the device does notisubject the wearer to'discomfort,

or interfere with his normal movements, even though it is capable ofv operating efficiently as a supporter and as a protective device for himf.

It isto be understood that the details of the invention as herein disclosed, are subject toalteration within the spiritorscope of the appended I claim:

'1. In an athletic protector, a rigid body defining a protective cup and having an integral flange extending upwards and laterally from the upper edge thereof, and a covering of sponge rubber substantially completely enclosing said flange and covering the entire outer surface of said cup, said-covering also extending around the lateral and lower peripheral edges of said cup.

2. In an athletic protector, a. rigid body defining; a protective cup and having an integral flange extending upwards and laterally from the upper edge thereof, a soft rubber covering substantially completely enclosing said flange and covering the entire outer face of said cup and ex tending around the lateral and lower edges thereof, and a belt adapted to encircle the wearers Waist,-:the front portion of said belt being embedded within the covering of said flange.

3. In an athletic protector, a rigidbody defining .a.=protective cup and having an integral flange. extending upwards and laterally from the upper. edge thereof,'a soft rubber covering substantially completely enclosing said flange and covering the; entireouter ,face of said cup and 100 extending around theala'teral and lower edges thereof; and a belt. adapted to encircle the wearer's waist, said belt comprising a strip embedded within the covering on said flange and having its ends, projecting beyond the ends thereof,.;bands secured to said projecting ends, and means for attaching said bands together.

4.. In an athletic protector, a. rigid body de fining a protective cup and having an integral flange extending upwardsand laterally from the upperedge thereof, a soft rubber covering substantially completely enclosing said flange and covering the entireouter face of said cup and extending around the lateral and lower edges thereto encircle the wearers waist 115 andsecured at its forward portion tector, and leg bands each secured at one end to the: back portion of said belt at one side thereof and at, its other end to-the lower, portion of said cup.

5. .In an athletic protector, a rigid body forming a cup, said cup being concave on its inner face considered both vertically and horizontally, the cup tapering from the top downwardly and terminating in a horizontal end at the bottom, an integral flange in the upper portion of the cup, said flange being vertical and having a concave'curve considered, horizontally, the flange being in height relatively high compared with the height of the cup and in width extending laterally 130 beyond the upper portion of the cup, said cup at its front portion extending outwardly beyond the plane of the front portion of the flange, the cup and flange having a soft rubber coveringsecured sidered horizontally, said first flange being wider than the upper portion of the cup, the marginal edges of the cup having a small integral second flange, the cup and first flange having a covering of sponge rubber on the outside, and the inside surface of the first flange having a sponge rubber covering, the small second flange on the margin of the cup being covered on the inside and outside with the sponge rubber, means to attach a belt to the first flange portion secured to the cup, straps depending from the belt, and a rivet connecting the straps to the lower horizontal end of the cup.

7. In an athletic protector, a rigid thin body structure having a lower portion formed as a cup structure concave on the inside both horizontally and vertically, said cup structure being wider at the top and tapering downwardly terminating at a small lower end, the upper portion of the cup having an integral first flange formed on a concave curve on the inner side to conform to the abdomen of the wearer, said first flange being wider in a horizontal direction than the upper part of the cup to extend towards the sides of the abdomen of the wearer and such first flange having perforations, the marginal sides and lower edge of the cup having a second flange, a covering of sponge rubber on the outside and inside faces and upper and lateral edges of the first flange, the rubber extending through the said perforations between the inside and outside, the covering also being on the outside of'the cup and on the second flange, a belt, means to attach the belt to the first flange, straps depending from the back of the belt, and means to secure the straps to the lower small end of the cup.

FORREST M. RECORD. 

